Wash chemistry

With the hospitality sector perking up now, and the joint TSA/UKH campaign rolling out to help hospitality laundries achieve guaranteed disinfection to allay guest fears over the Covid-19 virus and other pathogens (see pages 8-9), we look at new chemical solutions that can help commercial laundries, OPL and wetcleaning establishments achieve the best results.

Richard Neale of LTC Worldwide recently wrote in his Material Solutions feature ‘Can you offer assured disinfection?’ (LCNi September 2020) some advice for low temperature washing in OPL settings and it is relevant across the board. “There are two big implications for care home operators, on-premises hotel laundries and cruise line operators who want to transition to the delivery of laundered linen with assured disinfection:

They will need laundry processes for their main classifications which guarantee (if operated correctly) disinfection to a recognised standard (such as a 5log reduction in microbial contamination) and control of pathogens such as Covid-19. This will require detailed discussion with chemicals’ suppliers.Control of laundering parameters will need to be much more precise in the future. This might call for metering pump dosage, accurate load weights and fine temperature control.

Getting the right chemicals will need management time and not every supplier will have suitable products immediately available. However, all leading chemicals’ suppliers have devoted much time and financial investment in this area and there are a range of certified processes now available, covering a range of wash temperatures and prices. Those wanting to maximise their green credentials will go for 40C processes, so they can continue to minimise heat energy consumption and cost. This would also minimise the size and cost of an in-line, instantaneous generator of water at consistently the correct temperature. Getting textiles clean and disinfected at 40C is much more difficult than at 75C, so there would probably be trade-off in chemicals’ cost.

Modest capital investment may be required to achieve the necessary control of those parameters which are fairly and squarely the responsibility of the launderer. This could involve purchase of simple weigh scales in order to ensure correct load factors. It might involve purchase of metering pumps for accurate dosage, although the chemicals’ supplier might agree to finance these. The largest investment might be for an instantaneous supply of water at consistently the right temperature.

Once these basics have been established, the laundry should be producing linen of the right quality – disinfected, odour-free, stain-free and with no greying. This can be used as a USP straight away. Obtaining the necessary certification can then become a longer-term task, spread over several months.”

DELICATE SUBJECT

From Ecolab comes SoftGuard Delicate which is designed to be used in laundries and for wetcleaning. It is the latest delicate washing solution from the company and has been developed because, says Ecolab: “We’re rethinking delicate washing for industrial laundries and accelerating the effectiveness of wetcleaning services.

“When it comes to delicate washing, hygiene is no longer enough. At long term care facilities and professional laundry services alike, recipients of laundry services are becoming increasingly discerning about the level of services provided – and rightly so. The Covid-19 pandemic has only further highlighted the importance of laundry cleanliness and, of course, we’re all looking to safeguard our clothes against colour fading and damage.”

Fibres and colours

SoftGuard Delicate, says Ecolab, offers two layers of proven colour and shape protection. It has been formulated to prevents bleeding, colour loss, felting, pilling, shrinkage and change in surface character. While it is able to remove stains and odours incredibly effectively, it will not change the structure or makeup of a garment.

Ecolab explains how its own research shows that SoftGuard Delicate is able to perform more effectively than the other solutions on the market at lower temperatures — particularly when it comes to garment shrinkage. The synergy between delicate detergent with delicate finish helps maintain the “anti-shrinkage”, “anti-felting” and “anti-pilling” effects, wash after wash. The dedicated setting of the washing process gives wool garments good shape retention properties and improves spring-back in the wash. SoftGuard Delicate ensures 360° wool protection and the retexturing effect.

The solution’s ability to offer a high quality clean at low temperatures also ensures that garments require fewer washes and last longer, and the pleasant fragrance of SoftGuard Delicate is incredibly long-lasting, added Ecolab.

Disinfection

In 2021, the importance of laundry disinfection cannot be overstated. SoftGuard Delicate offers D+ Disinfection and has been tested on different types of pathogens and validated according to Biocidal Product Regulation (BPR) of EU. The low temperature mix of peracids assures the disinfection is proven at 40C.

Wetcleaning and laundry applications

A large number of hotels, notes Ecolab, are embracing wetcleaning, partly due to its increased environmental sustainability and also because many recognise it as a marker of superior service. Wetcleaning is also a segment where commercial laundries are able to increase their capacity and offer additional benefits to their customers.

Sustainability

The Ecolab water-based solution, says the company, carefully protects delicates while protecting the planet. More than 80% of the stains we create today are soluble in water, and SoftGuard Delicate meets the highest standard of quality and is Eco certified. It also has EU Flower Ecolabel certification. For more information, click here.

Kristina Venckute explains that the best hygiene results are achieved when you have the right concentration for the water temperature. “Then you kill all the germs and the textiles are hygienic. When it comes to low temperature, it has several advantages:

1. Lower water and energy consumption for the laundries

2. More gentle on the textiles and therefore longer life time

3. In Ecolab’s programs the detergent is Eu Ecolabel certified, so the process is more environmental friendly

“SoftGuard Delicate offers the low temperature disinfection according to the latest Biocidal Product Regulation (BPR) of EU. It gives great results as of 20C and the main detergent in EU Ecolabel certified. In fact, the cool part of the programme is the finishing agent, which helps to reduce the wrinkling and felting of the washed delicates, therefore saving a lot of time for the laundries in finishing area. This programme is also suitable for wetcleaning.”

GETTING THE DOSE RIGHT

Christeyns is celebrating 10 years since it first began designing and producing dosing equipment to support its range of laundry and hygiene products. As well as its recently added engineering unit in the UK, the company has a brand-new engineering facility in Budapest, Hungary, which develops a range of high-tech equipment for many of its markets around the globe. The multi-functional 1,200m2 unit will allow production to be managed in-house for all divisions including food & beverage, professional hygiene and medical.

At Christeyns UK, a self-contained engineering unit was added to the Bradford based business in 2019 to provide an important service hub and support growth in the engineering division across its commercial laundry client base in the UK and Ireland.

Christeyns engineering is synonymous with quality and expertise and has been expanding its influence in the laundry sector year on year. As the largest chemicals player in the UK commercial laundry sector and with an increasing market share, high-tech engineering systems are now a critical part of the customer offering.

The UK engineering unit provides support for all Christeyns equipment including Flux- Compact, Flux-Star and Flux-Multi dosing kits, Ozone generating apparatus, Speed O and Christeyns’ own water and energy saving equipment.

INNOVATING FOR SUSTAINABLE CHANGE

At Ideal Manufacturing, the laundry chemicals innovator, a new website, recognition for the company’s R&D work, a Government sponsored grant for innovation and ISO recertification were just some of the high points achieved while the company and its staff endured lockdown and associated privations.

Ideal’s new website is lively, informative and very easy to navigate, and is refreshingly tell-itas- it-is in its approach to current circumstances. And, in terms of product information, useful advice and matching the right chemicals to the job, it is exemplary.

On recertification of ISO, managing director Phillip Kalli commented: “The ISO 14001 standard is a big deal to us here at Ideal. So, that means we are all absolutely thrilled to have been re-certified for 2021 after a pretty intense audit during what’s been a tumultuous year for our industry and we don’t mind admitting – a pretty stressful one for our business. The passion, commitment and determination to achieve re-certification demonstrated by our team has made us very proud. This means something for a small, independent, family-run manufacturer like us and we know that it’s always worth all the extra effort to do things better.”

In the Ideal lab, said Kalli: “Development chemist Vicky Lovegrove has deservedly made it into The Manufacturer Top 100 cohort for 2020, as a Young Pioneer for her brilliant R&D work at Ideal over the past year. Also, for bringing calm, order, efficiency, good humour and her own particular brand of North Warwickshire no-nonsense to the lab in these mad times. Congratulations from the whole Ideal team Vicky.”

Kalli is also energised by the news that Innovate UK, as part of UK Research and Innovation, awarded Ideal Manufacturing a de minimis grant for “an exciting innovation project amidst an unprecedented and incredible response from the innovation community against 8600 applications – the highest number ever. That’s pretty cool”.